ONYX on a bang at Taj Samudra

With an interest in the entertainment industry, the original company was incorporated in 2002 by two founder directors. Since then, the company has grown with new partners coming in, both as active partners and passive investors.

The Company has opened three highly successful venues to date, initially entering the entertainment industry in 2003 with the launch of Glow Lounge, the first bona fide lounge bar in Colombo. This venture saw instant success, and thereafter, continued to show growth for the next two years.

In 2003, the Company formed an alliance with Colombo Night Life, a group of young Sri Lankan university students who organised theme parties catering to the younger segment of the market.

Keeping the brand name - CNL, they together lifted the brand to cater to a wider spectrum of the market, and to be synonymous with organising some of the most successful theme parties at locations such as the private beach at Mount Lavinia Hotel, the 36th Floor of the World Trade Centre, Bu-Bar, and the Colombo Swimming Club.

In December 2004, the second venture, Tantra Restaurant & Lounge, was launched. A two-tier, open-air venue, the concept is a relaxed bar coupled with a mezzanine-level restaurant serving Eastern fusion cuisine.

In 2005, the Company entered the New Year Eve party market, hosting the first Party 31 at the private beach of the Mount Lavinia Hotel. This was an unprecedented success, being the largest New Year's Eve party ever hosted in the country, attracting over 2,500 party-goers from a wide cross-section of people, both local and expatriate.

After a very lucrative and funfilled three years, Glow Lounge finally closed its doors for the last time, shortly after it celebrated its third anniversary in 2006, making way for the Company's third venture.

In June 2006, the Company opened its third venue, Onyx. Housed at the five-star Taj Samudra Hotel (a member of the prestigious Tata Group), Onyx is a minimalist, chic nightclub, catering to the very top end of the clubbing market. The sophisticated interior boasts luxe tactile fabrics such as suede, teak and brushed steel, with a colour palette of warm mocha, deep aubergine and champagne. As you enter, a stunning 15-foot art-decor panel of water and light greets you.

A spiral stairway leads to the exclusive VIP Room - Prive (reserved for invitation only members). A floor-to-ceiling glass wall forms the facade of the space, allowing members to enjoy their privacy while also keeping an eye on the tempo below.

Downstairs, the centrepiece of the bar is the 22-foot long glowing onyx counter. The rare marble has a translucent beam which emanates a radiant light, purposely utilised and reminiscent of the owners' pioneering venture - Glow. Trained bar staff are there to attend to all your needs, serving an array of chic cocktails, exotic wines and international liquors.

Tables on the main floor have been divided between sofa and booth-style seating. For all you closet podium dancers, ergonomically designed couches with removable cushions turn into your own private podium when the club starts pumping.

The focal point of the club is the sunken dance floor with an iconic elevated DJ stand. The patrons are watched over by resident DJs - T-Boy, Rajeeva, Thanugika and Shaan D. who pioneered the use of Scratch Live DJ software in Sri Lanka. Numerous theme nights are hosted monthly, some of the more popular one's being the 'Studio 54' disco/retro party and the 'Indoor Beach Party', International DJs and acts are also imported intermittently to entertain the club's patrons.